keel stub cracked?

[Joetech]

This is the my second season with my 86 cat 27 TR. Last year the bilge was generally dry. I did get some rain water in around the chainplates but I have since repacked. About 10 days ago we had 2 days of torrential rains while I was still on the hard and the bilge didn't have hardly any water in it. I launched last Friday. I could hear water coming in and I thought is was around the stuffing box and it was. After a while the packing swelled and slowed. It was still too much so I snugged up the packing nut and it slowed even more. The bilge was full by now. The next day I installed the batteries (had to buy a new one) got the bilge pump going and didn't think too much else about it. One Sunday (48 hrs ago) the bilge was fairly dry, pump working, dry around the stuffing box and the rudder post was dry. Today I went down and found the bilge completely full to the cover and the pump not working. I used the hand pump to drain it. And sponged the remainder out.
Before I launched the keel looked fine, no Catalina smile and the keel bolts looked good with no cracking inside or out. I am about 99% sure the leak is about 6" behind the stern keel bolt where there is a step down to an area under the molded floor not the removable bilge cover. It steps down about a half inch. I can get my hand in there and it was full of all kind of gunk. I was getting flow into the bilge from this area even after sponging everything out.
So, has anyone else had this problem? I am thinking about trying to use a product I found this winter at Home Depot called Fiberfix (see fiberfix.com). which is a water catalyst material. I really get in there I will need to cut part of the FG flooring to expose this area. I could get the boat to the lift but I think I need something that will be able to be used in water at least untill I can get it out of the water.

 

[The Garbone]

Can't help but wonder about the pack in the stuffing box. Did you repack it when the boat was on the hard? I was not under the impression packing " swelled" when wet. Just hope they did not get you shaft with the sling and crack the shaft log or pop the strut loose when moving her.

Very curious.

 

[Joetech]

There was some dripping from the box but not now. Way too much water in the bilge and the hull under the stuffing box is dry. I was there when the boat was launched and sling not near the shaft. Leak is coming from the 8 or so inches behind where the bilge cover stops.

 

[The Garbone]

Yikes,

That is worrisome.

My 74 did not step down like that at the aft end of the bilge, almost sounds like they used a piece of plywood that was a little too short on your boat.

I imagine prepping the site would me the hardest part. You could stick an Iphone back in there and take some photos, thin with a flash.


J-B Weld 8277 WaterWeld Underwater Epoxy Putty - 2 oz
by J-B Weld
Link: http://amzn.com/B000BRQ0TW

I have used some of JB putty before, what they do not say is the warmer it is the quicker it sets up. I think I had less than 5 minutes to work the stuff at 80degrees or so.

 

[dive7mmwet]

just a idea pull your starboard covers under the cushions off and look at the boats walls during a rain and the compartments water will come down the walls many places and appear in the bilge area many areas like windows, deck hardware water will all end up in this area. also the stuffing box should have a real slow drip even with engine stopped or a at least a drip while shaft rotation no water is not good as it causes the shaft to heat and packing to glaze no good!

 

[Joetech]

Again, not rain water. Bilge gets water even with no rain. No stuffing box drip. I placed rolled up paper towels around the top of the rear of the 'V' at the back of the bilge and 2 days later, perfectly dry towel yet water in the bilge. I did pull back the bilge pump hoses and dried the bilge. water begins to slowly trick into to bilge from the very back of the V a few inches up from the bottom. I ordered and received some "Splash Zone" brand epoxy and experimented with it a few days ago. I took some scrap fiberglass and mixed a small amount and stuck a small ball of it underwater. It adhered really well and is very solid.
This weekend I plan to drain, clean the area and apply the epoxy in several layers.

 

[Joetech]

followup

After four layers Splash Zone epoxy it finally stopped leaking. Now its all blended together. At first I didn't think it was working. The rate was slowing but not completely stopping. I went home with it leaking at a rate of @ 8 oz per hour, or so I thought. When I came back the next day after about 18 hours it had stopped completely. All together I laid up about an inch in the very back of the V and about a half inch in the bottom and about a 1/4 up the sides. Looks like it takes a lot longer to completely cure than specified.